Popular Teen Model Shares Courageous Photo To Shame Modelling Industry

It’s safe to conclude that teen model Barbie Ferreira has made a big impact in 2016. Earlier in the year she showed us that she’s got nothing to hide, when taking part in a Photoshop-free ad campaign called #AerieREAL. And now she has returned- this time teaching us all to be confident in ourselves, while calling out the fashion industry for its awful double standards.

This all started when the 19-year-old posted a photo of her stretch marks to Instagram, sticking with the theme of having nothing to hide and being proud of one’s appearance. While many of her fans were quick to praise her for the courage she showed, she posted again later that day to discuss an incident that happened to her on the set of a photoshoot.

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Barbie wrote:

After I posted the picture of my stretch marks, not even a few hours later I was stood naked at work in front of strangers (super vulnerable position) and got asked what was wrong with my hips.. Pointing at my stretch marks. By a woman.

She added:

Id be lying through my teeth if I didn’t say micro-aggressions like this don’t happen on the daily for me in this industry. And like I always do, I choke back the tears and keep going like nothing happened.

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Ferreira explained that those who work within the industry still have not fallen in line with the body positivity movement, which she has been working tirelessly to promote.

She said:

This industry is not cute, never has been. I don’t want to sell you this idea that all these brands are so body positive when it’s so few that actually represent what women look like not just an idealized version of a thick girl (like they try to do to me.)

She added:

girls are not treated like people in this industry !! At all !!

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Barbie also went on to claim that the industry have been forcing runway models who put on even one inch of weight around their hips to ‘starve themselves’.

She said:

“Not only the consumer is being told they’re not good enough – even the girls in the pictures are given the same shit”

Many props to Barbie for having the confidence to speak on what many of us are thinking. Hopefully this horrific attitude from the modelling industry towards curvier models and people in general will change sooner rather than later. We don’t need another generation of young women who are miserable because they feel they need to conform to standards of beauty that aren’t even real.